Fading Light
by EverKnightAngel
Summary: What happens when even the brightest of lights begins to fade? Slowly everything he knows, loves, has worked for his entire life slips between his fingers. As his sight fades turning his world to darkness so does the light within himself. What is life when three years from now your reality will be entirely different? Why does he still fight when he can't change the course of fate?
1. Prologue The Beginning of the End

**A/N: Hi people. A new story with a completely new plotline and all the goodness that comes along with it. Okay I should really stop writing fics with Kise as a main character but I just love him so much. Anyway on with the show**.

* * *

-Prologue-  
The beginning of the End

The first time he notices anything strange is during the quarterfinals match again Touou. Aomine has always been fast enough for spectators not used to the phenomenon to see the scoring prodigy as a distorted blur when he reaches top speed but Kise had never experienced the feeling before then. It had only been brief, a second of blurred distortion where the navy-haired males limbs had appeared at funny angles his face blurred beyond recognition. But it had been enough to leave the blond swaying slightly eyes wide as his opponent shot past at top speed. Even if it only took a moment for him to forget all about it blaming the strange phenomena on tiredness and give chase intercepting Aomine underneath the basket. He's so close to perfecting the copy, there's no point in making a scene that could end his match.

Kasamatsu and Coach Takeuchi confront him about the incident in the locker room after the game. He brushes it off with ease despite the pairs consistent pestering. Internally he makes some bitter remark about how ironic Kasamatsu-sempai pestering him is but doesn't voice it. A kick to the lower back hadn't possessed any appeal at the time. Now looking back on it maybe he should have made the jibe while the team wasn't walking on eggshells around him. At least it feels that way, now that the diagnosis has been made.

The second time it happens is a week later at Saturday afternoon practice. He's facing off against Nakamura in a one-on-one practicing his ability to take on defensive specialists when the sensation hits. The ball slips from his grasp bouncing away into the darkest corner of the gym while he just stands there world blurring and twisting around him before clarity returns. A brief mumbled apology to Nakamura follows before the ace darts away retrieving the ball and the pair resumes the game. Kise yet again brushes the incident to the side blaming it on tiredness left over from a modelling gig running overtime the night before. Kasamatsu had evidently not been convinced though. The third-year having left practice unusually swiftly ignoring the blond entirely, it's his socially inept way if telling the ace to take a hint. In hindsight, take hints from the captain, they usually know what they're doing. Even if this whole mess was unavoidable catching the condition early as possible meant one could slow down the progression sooner.

The final time it happens before his father decides to drag him off to the doctor kicking and screaming like a bratty five-year-old is only a day after the second incident. He'd just stepped out of the bathroom after a brief shower before going to bed unusually early thanks to a long day of modelling when it hit. Elegantly long, pale fingers grip the door tightly as he waits for the world to return to focus. The strange distortion of shapes only lasts for moment and most of the blurriness dissipates as well but this time there's a spot in the centre of his vision remaining behind. He closes one eye at a time in an attempt to remove the blur but it doesn't move stubbornly staying put in the centre of his vision. His father only figures out something's up when he walks into the kitchen doorframe an hour later in the process of getting a glass of water.

"Ryouta, is something wrong?" His father's voice is a smooth, soothing, light baritone perfect for the gentle and caring man he is. Kise doesn't know how he would live without him really. Since his mother had left with his two older sisters when he was all of about 3 it had just been him and his Dad resulting in the pair having an unusually close father-son relationship despite each having a busy schedule.

"I'm fine, really Dad." The words come out whiny and insistent like he's trying to hide something not confident like he'd intended. His father's honey brown eyes harden at that harsh glint hidden in their warm depths. Kise, Mamoru knew exactly when his son was hiding something, they'd been through enough together over the years to recognise each other's ticks. Now he just had to get to the bottom of it.

"I don't think so." A comforting hand on the shoulder and a gentle direction towards the couch leads Kise away from the kitchen before he's forced down into the soft white-furniture. Mamoru sinks down beside his son staring the sixteen-year-old straight in the eye. They're basically the same height incredibly tall for those of Japanese origin but then again American blood runs somewhere in their veins resulting in light hair and tall frames.

"I'm fine, really, I promise." Kise's voice begins to falter cracking slightly at the end. He looked down at his hands vision blurring even more thanks to the tears slowly beginning to trickle down his cheeks catching in his collarbone before falling to the couch staining the pristine fabric grey. A large hand runs gently through golden-blond hair in a comforting gesture gently ruffling the silky strands. Honey meets gold as Mamoru regards his son with a critical gaze swiping hair out of the teen's eyes.

"Talk to me Ryouta, there's no point in hiding. Something's obviously worrying you." Mamoru's voice is barely above a whisper continuing to run gentle fingers through mussed blond hair. The middle-aged man nearly chuckles to himself. If any of Kise's plethora of fangirls were to see him like this, curled into himself hair a tangled dishevelled mess, real, honest tears dripping soundlessly down his cheeks, eyes completely unfocused darting from one focus point to another in distress.

"Something's wrong with my eyes." Kise's usually obnoxiously loud voice is barely above a whisper words slightly jumbled. Mamoru continues the soothing gesture of running his fingers through the boy's hair humming a soft tune he once sung to Kise soon after his wife had left. The older however, has trouble hiding his distress at the teen's comment. Sight problems ran along his side of the gamily though hadn't appear in the last couple of generations.

"As in?" Mamoru presses eyes boring into the young blond with ease. Kise shivers slightly curling into himself further clutching his knees to his chest.  
"Blurry." Is all he managers to murmur staring off at a point on the wall past his father's shoulder.  
"Hmm…? Anything else." Mamoru continues to delve for information. The more he knows before dragging Kise to the ophthalmologist the better. Being a doctor specialising in paediatrics also leads him to a suspicion. Not many eye conditions can become apparent in teenagers and he's very aware that one of the worse runs down the bloodline.

"Occasionally things look like they're bent or distorted or something." Kise responds brushing the tears from his eyes finally making eye-contact with the elder man.  
"Okay, I need to get you an appointment with a specialist. No basketball or anything else crazy till we know what's going on. 'Kay?" The blond nodded uncurling himself and moving to stand.  
"I'm going to bed." He leaves Mamoru alone with his thoughts retreating up the stairs before letting himself fall face first onto the futon. If more tears escape the corners of his eyes while he dreams no one will know. The prospect of loosing his sight hurts. It would scare anyone…right?

* * *

It's a week later that Kise finds himself in the waiting room of an eye clinic. The wall behind the reception desk was painted a bright cyan large stylized eye drawn on it the words Tokyo eye clinic written beneath in both Japanese and English. Otherwise the walls are painted a pleasant, unoffending cream the carpet a comforting smoky grey. A cream rug sits beneath a glass coffee table covered in various magazines and tabloids. Mamoru sits beside him running a hand irritably through golden brown hair strands curling just beneath his ears from the summer humidity. Kise watches his father intently; the man grips the newspaper tightly enough for his knuckles to turn white small tears appearing in the pages, lips trained into a stern line. He's never seen his father like this before worried to death about him. No ones ever really worried about him before now. The sensation is strange.

Most of the people in the clinic are old, at least in Kise's teenaged eyes. Greying hair and papery, wrinkled skin are common features amongst the attendants. Some send him pitying glances whilst others gossip on the sides. A women with a young daughter sits in the chairs next to them attempting and failing to calm the child. There are a phew other younger people there as well but otherwise the atmosphere is almost depressing in nature despite the bright colours provided by the cyan wall and magazines littering the tables and racks.

"Kise, Ryouta-san." A young woman with just past shoulder length black hair calls his name. Kise stands following the women Mamoru tagging along just behind his son. She leads them into a room with a chair and large amounts of equipment he doesn't recognise lying around. He's instructed to sit in a large chair next to an oak-wood desk on one side of the room whilst Mamoru sinks into a chair on the other swiping a hand over his face as he does.

"I am Masato, Yui. I'm just going to be doing a basic vision check and putting some drops in your eyes in order to dilate your pupils before Dr. Hyouka will be seeing you." The woman bows cerulean blue eyes shining with knowledge. Kise nods absentmindedly taking more interest in observing the various instruments placed in his vicinity. None of them look to be too torturous, thankfully as he returns his attention back to Masato.

The next half hour is spent reading off various eye charts with each eye closed, trying to spot numbers made out of coloured blotches within a series of other coloured blotches and explaining the symptoms he'd been experiencing for the past couple of weeks. Masato just nodded along occasionally asking him to perform a test again or repeat one of the incidents in which his vision had become distorted. Eventually she instructs him to close his eyes. Masato forces each one open at a time squeezing a small drop of liquid into each before instructing Kise to blink.

The drops sting intensely and he whimpers slightly from the pain wiping excess solution from his eyes with a tissue. Masato just chuckles good naturedly smiling slightly at his reaction. Mamoru isn't much better gentle laugh echoing through the small room as he reaches across to ruffle the teens hair.

"Don't worry it often hurts the first time around." Masato says before standing straightening out her skirt in the process. "Dr. Hyouka will be with you momentarily."  
"Thank you, Masato-san." Kise says just as the intern is about to leave the room.  
"It's no problem Kise-kun." Her gentle voice floats back to the two males as the door closes leaving the pair alone. Neither talks, their both too afraid to bring up the others hope that everything will be okay only to have them broken down.

* * *

Ten minutes later a thin man in his mid thirties with shaggy black hair and warm caramel brown eyes enters the room. He wears black slacks and a crisply ironed cornflower blue business shirt beneath an open fronted lab coat. The ophthalmologist takes a seat before the oak desk before propelling himself to a spot before Kise on his wheelie chair dragging some strange contraption with a chinrest on it with him.

"Hello Kise-kun, My name is Dr. Hyouka Koushi and I will be seeing you through whatever this is assuming there is anything to worry about in the first place alright. " He smiles and Kise decides he likes the man instantly. He's warm and friendly nothing like he'd expected an experienced eye specialist his father had worked with before to be like. Kise smiles back though it doesn't quite reach his eyes taking the doctor's offered hand and shaking it politely before taking a nervous glance at the machine the doctor has positioned between himself and Kise.

"This is used to see your retina, the back of your eye in basic terms. If you could rest your chin on the bar there it would be appreciated, thanks Kise-kun." The blond does as told resting his chin on the padded bar in the middle of the machine only to be hit with a blindingly bright light. "Sorry, I forgot to warn you about the light." Hyouka chuckles good naturedly grapping a small magnifying glass from his desk and placing it in front of the light.

Then the room goes disturbingly silent. Neither Kise nor Mamoru dares to breath as Hyouka works tongue stuck out the left corner of his mouth in concentration caramel brown eyes staring into the magnifier intently. Mamoru twitches nervously in his chair craning his neck in an attempt to see what's going on. Kise just tries not to move a muscle staring back at Hyouka with as much intensity as possible face trained into a frown. He's been anxious for the past week since his sight had gone blurry permanently. The lack of ability to let off steam playing basketball wasn't helping either.

Five minutes later Hyouka sighs leaning away from the machine and dragging it back to a spot on the wall. He regards Kise calmly shooting the occasional glance at Mamoru. The elder Kise's hands are clasped together tightly knuckles white from the pressure. Hyouka isn't much better knuckles white bead of nervous sweat trickling down the side of his neck.

"I don't like telling people things like this, particularly those like you Kise-kun. This will certainly be the end of everything you currently know and love." The doctor takes a deep breath as if mentally preparing himself for whatever he is about to tell the pair sitting before him. Kise and Mamoru wear similar looks of cautious curiosity.  
"Tell us Hyouka, no matter what it can be dealt with somehow." Mamoru nearly growls glaring down the younger doctor with ease.

"Stargardt's disease. Kise-kun will go blind eventually." Hyouka manages to breath out regarding the blond teen with an apologetic look in his eyes.  
"No…" Kise trails off one look at his father telling him the man isn't lying.

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**A/N: MUAHAHA! Have fun with the cliffhanger. This idea has been pestering me for a while and I just had to write it. Also I am aware I have two other fics on the go as well and I plan to try and keep updating those as often as possible however I'm one of those people who needs to write whatever happens to come to mind. I'll try to update all three once a week but no guarantees.**

**Anyway please follow, favourite and review if you enjoyed I'm really hoping this story will do well as I am not just enjoying writing it but attempting to bring to light the difficult world living with a disability brings. **

**Thankyou  
-Angel**


	2. Chapter 1 Pretending

**A/N: YAY A CHAPTER! Anyway sorry it's late a lot of things have been happening lately and it's shorter than I expected it to be. I couldn't really find a better place to end it though as the other 2 scenes I could have put into this chapter make up about 3000 words put together so that can come next chapter YAY! Anyway on with the story~**

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-Chapter 1-

Pretending

Returning to school after the diagnosis is something Kise dreads. His stomach twists uncomfortably, flight urge growing stronger as he reaches the gates of Kaijou high familiar polished metal gates glinting in the bright sunlight. It's been a week since the diagnosis and despite having been given the time to think he still didn't think he was ready. No matter how hard he tried there was no conclusion that didn't include everything crumbling at his fingertips.

Basketball, modelling, everything really would have to change. The thought of not playing basketball, even though he'd only just begun to enjoy the sport once more hurt the most. Even if he hadn't grown up playing basketball the past 2 and a bit years of playing had been one of the best parts of his short life. He'd miss the challenge of playing against the other miracles; letting down the rest of the team also wasn't something he was looking forward to. Kasamatsu and the others really wouldn't be impressed at all, Kise was the ace it was his job to hold the team together. They relied on him to be there, to score; he couldn't imagine what they'd do without him.

"Better take the step sooner rather than later." Kise sighs running a hand through his hair walking stiffly through the gates. He breaths out letting himself relax ever so slightly as he slips into the familiar routine of walking to class stalked by a horde of raving fans he's learned to ignore with time and an exceptional amount of practice.

"Kise-kun…"  
"Look at me, Kise-kun…"  
"Oh my god it's Kise-kun!" Whines, squeals and screams follow in his wake as he walks to class head bowed in order to hide his face from view. The last thing Kise needs is for someone to see the unfocused look in his eyes and lack of sunny expression plastered across his face. Usually he'd just fake it, sometimes he even managed to convince himself he was actually happy when in truth he was far from it. However, today that was not the case. He didn't have the energy or conviction to even try and if he did he knew it wouldn't reach his eyes.

Denial is easier without the world knowing the truth. Someday soon he knew he'd start having to accept the fate the universe had wished on him, but for now he lived in blissful ignorance. He was still naïve enough to ignore the facts, pretend that everything is as it should be, exist as if nothing is happening. Locking himself away like this is something he hasn't done since he was little when his mother left taking his older sisters with her. But then he'd been too young to truly understand what was going on and simply missed the company of his siblings and other parent. Now everything is so much more real, it's only a matter of time before he goes completely blind.

Kise just keeps his head low increasing his pace hands shoved in the pockets of his blazer. Key chains clink against each other from where they attach to his messenger bag, shoes making no noise as he glides across the pavement silently as possible. His height and celebrity status prevent him from disappearing into the wave of other students like Kuroko could so easily. It's moments like this that Kise wishes he had the passing specialist's invisibility. Sometimes life would be so much easier without being noticed even if he gives off the impression of living for attention.

In great contrast to what many think Kise isn't anywhere near as obnoxiously boisterous and loud as he leads people to believe. Over zealous happiness and energy is just his way of coping with his demons. Pretending that everything is okay, that nothing bothers him that he wants to be a famous model and basketball prodigy. In reality he wants very different things. Sure, he enjoys putting on a show for his fans, lives and breathes the adrenaline rush that is a good basketball game, is dedicated to his team like nobody else is. But, in all honesty he just wants to be noticed, loved, remembered, for who he is, not the glorified figure he pretends to be.

For a time, back in his third year of middle school at Teikou when he and the other miracles had started to change. Kise had convinced himself that a model basketball prodigy was what defined him. That he was nothing other than the public image, developed and refined over time with plenty of practice. Looking back on it now, that may have been the darkest part of his life. He'd lost himself only seeing the lights and fame his profession and talent bought. Now Kuroko had bought him back from the brink, dragged him away from the dangerous path he'd been walking. Everything looks different from how they did before and not just because of his failing sight.

Lights are no longer as bright, shadows so much more defined. Aomine's arrogant attitude no longer admirable instead downright frustrating to deal with. Their match in inter-high had changed his perspective on the tanned teen greatly. Overcoming his admiration and accepting him as just another opponent had forced him to see the truth. Kise had seen through everything Aomine had done analysing his style of basketball and turning it into his first perfect copy. The morbid thought of never being able to perfect any more moves from the other miracles haunts him. If only, if only he had more time.

Now he just slips a pair of headphones over his ears letting music fill his world with something other than the screams of fangirls. For once he ignores them refusing to make eye contact, suppressing the urge to turn around and wave, smile, make them happy. For once in his life he's going to be selfish and no one will complain, and if they do he'll ignore it. Ignoring the selfless side of his personality is hard for Kise but easy enough to do given the situation. It's so much easier to keep pretending without having to look, without having to remember his vision was failing.

* * *

Classroom 1-C is comfortingly quiet in contrast to the overwhelming noise of the halls and courtyard. Kise takes a brief look around the room noting that the population registered at around 5 before taking his seat closest to the window in the third row from the front. He shakes his head briefly, black and silver slipping down to hang around his neck. It's unusual for Kise to be early; usually he's that one guy that always runs into class just as the bell rings. Many a teacher had been frustrated with him over time. His third-year homeroom teacher at Teikou in particular had given him detention at least twice a week for walking into class just a moment too late to be deemed on time in her opinion. Kise hadn't even bothered to try being on time either, not like he'd particularly cared back then.

Students trickle into the room over the next 10 minutes the majority completely ignoring Kise, those who notice him simply acknowledging his presence with a nod. The blond himself just stares blankly out the window. He hadn't really made friends with anyone in his class. Charismatic as he may be, Kise's celebrity status often resulted in two ways of being treated. His fans that blindly worshipped him and those who hated his guts. It was hard to come by a person who genuinely wanted to be friends, not just use him for popularity or to get girls.

It was sad, the number of people who didn't realise just how lonely his existence was. Modelling wasn't all just glory and fame, the long hours and lack of time spent with those he considered friends hurt. The fact most people in his class thought he was a complete idiot thanks to his lack of academic prowess was also irritating. Kise wasn't stupid, his copycat ability should have told anyone that. To copy somebody else's movements as effortlessly as he did took brains. He had to analyse what the other person was doing before applying the movements himself and to make a copy seamless took even more effort than that. The only reason he didn't get high academic marks was because he didn't have time to do homework in-between basketball and modelling. At least, he didn't before the diagnosis, when he was still a basketball player and a model.

"Hey, Kise." The voice came from the desk on his right. Golden hazel met chestnut brown as the blond turned to face the only friend he had in his class.  
"Oh, Hi Naoicchi." He replied smiling across at the raven-haired teen. Naoi Masashi was the only other first year member of the basketball team that made it to first string and the team's reserve small forward. Naoi smiled back, brown eyes twinkling mischievously.  
"You've been missing for an entire week, Captain was starting to wonder if you'd died or something." Naoi chuckled good-naturedly but the happiness didn't quite reach his eyes. Worry swam in the red-brown depths as he regarded Kise with a searching gaze.  
"I'm fine, don't worry Naoicchi." Kise laughed along with the fellow small forward smirking devilishly. This sort of interaction was normal for them. Normality, something he'd have to give up soon. But for now he can keep going like nothing's wrong, like nothing matter's but basketball. He knows Naoi will probably be one of the first to notice but he doesn't care.

"You sure?" Naoi tilted his head to the side in a questioning manner giving Kise a once over with the most critical gaze possible. The raven-haired teen sighed relenting to the blond's stubbornness. "Okay, fine. I'll accept that your alright, but seriously don't go disappearing like that."  
"You sound like Kasamatsu-sempai." Kise replied golden eyes twinkling.  
"Big brother instincts, they tend to extend to anyone and everyone with me." Naoi replied smiling running a hand through his naturally messy hair.  
"Yeah, sure. Your just the caring type Naoicchi." Kise chuckled smiling back. One of the first hurdles was over. Convincing his freakishly observant classmate that everything was fine. His elaborate pantomime was still intact.

"Maybe I am." Naoi chuckled leaning back in his chair forcing it back onto two legs. "We should probably shut up, Takeda-sensei likes the class quiet when he walks in" Brown eyes flick to the door where their teacher stands chatting to the vice-principal about something or other coffee cup in hand.  
"Yep" Kise replies enthusiastically turning to the front of the class just as Takeda walks in door clicking shut behind.

The rest of the day passes surprisingly calmly. Kise keeps a low profile only straying out of his classroom once for a brief trip to the library. He's lucky that Monday is the only day he doesn't have maths, the subject that would have given away his failing sight almost instantly. Trying to do algebra homework had been torture, zero's appeared to multiply before his eyes sometimes there would be one others two. Not to mention squared and cubed numbers, root signs and fractions. At least it had been his worst subject to begin with so the teacher hopefully wouldn't be able to tell the difference and just equate his horrible assignment and test gradings to being horrible at arithmetic.

However, the most challenging part of the day was still to come.

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**A/N: Please follow, favourite and review if you enjoyed. This story is the one of the three I've got going that will probably get updated the least, as I have to be in a particular mood to write it. Mostly because I'm completely deconstructing a character I love to death in a very brutal way and as much as I admit to being incredibly sadistic this is challenging. This story also takes a lot of research as Stargardt's disease (the eye condition Kise has I this) is real and I'm trying to get it accurate as possible. Also later on white canes, talking laptops and other random devices will come in that I'm trying to get accurate. (Noting the fact I am legally blind myself so some of this stuff I already know about.) **

**Anyway thank you for reading and sorry about the rant  
-Angel**


	3. Chapter 2 Suspicions

**A/N: Yes I managed to write a new chapter for this. I simultaneously love and hate this story. It's almost pleasurable to write as character deconstruction is something I particularly enjoy but on the other hand doing it to Kise, one of my favourite characters who I have a rather dark head cannon for, is hard. So please bear with me if the updates are slow and inconsistent in length. Some chapters just happen more easily than others. Also I apologize if the presence of a reasonably prevalent OC bothers you. Naoi will get less and less important as the plot goes on but as Kaijou really only has it's starter team of characters with one reserve in Nakamura who is a SG I needed a character who could take Kise's position as small forward once he eventually accepts fate. So…. Sorry if you don't like OC"s Naoi is more of a tool** **to get the story moving than anything. Anyway on with the show~**

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-Chapter 2-

Suspicions

"Hey, you coming to basketball practice." 'Naoi asks from somewhere off to Kise's left, voice quiet. The blond just blinks in reply; he'd intended to skip. But now, faced with the option he really doesn't know. Naoi watches him expectantly, eyes mostly covered by his hair. The raven's gaze is intense as if he can see straight into Kise's soul. Naoi's creepy like that, quiet compared to the rest of the first-string but incredibly intense, knowledge beyond his years hidden in the depths of his eyes. For a moment Kise thinks his fellow small forward knows, or is at least suspicious.

"Nah, my Dad doesn't want me to push it and get myself sick again." The reply comes unsettlingly easily. It shouldn't be this easy to lie, not to his friends, not to anyone. Naoi just sighs flipping his notepad closed and slipping it into his messenger bag before sweeping the pens off his desk into the main pocket and zipping it closed without a care in the world.  
"This isn't usually like you, Captain told you to take a couple of days off after the Touou match and yet you still came to practice. Not to mention the fact you work harder than any of us." The raven reasoned calmly standing before slipping his chair in and grabbing his bag off the floor. Their class had been let out 10 minutes early for some reason and now, 5 minutes before the bell was due to ring, the two of them were the only ones left in the classroom.

"Yeah well, that was Kasamatsu-sempai. My Dad's a doctor remember." Kise replies as usual, sunshine attitude intact. Together they leave the classroom shirts clinging to their skin in the sticky humidity of mid summer. Sweat dribbles into Kise's already blurred eyes. Usually he wouldn't care but it stings nearly as much as the dilation eye drops did and blurs his vision further. A violent shake of his head and a hand brushed over his forehead fix the problem easily but it's not subtle enough for Naoi not to notice. Thankfully, despite the slightest hint of worry swimming in the depths of his eyes the raven doesn't comment, just continues down the corridor as if nothing's the problem.

"You should still come and watch. The advice of a master would be welcomed." Naoi changes the topic effortlessly, tone kept casual. If he had noticed something he was doing a very good job of pretending he didn't. For that, Kise was incredibly thankful.  
"I have nothing else to do sooo… might as well." Kise replied laughter in his voice, golden eyes scanning the distance for any sign of their seniors. They were still about a minutes walk away from the gym but it's not uncommon to run into one of the others on the way to practice.

"Kise." The barely audible, nearly predatory growl rings out from somewhere behind the blond before he finds himself sprawled on the grass next to the path Kasamatsu's foot firmly planted on the small of his back. He could hear both Naoi and Moriyama laughing off to the side. Kobori was probably smirking as well but being more polite by keeping quiet, though notably not stopping the other two from laughing. The blond didn't even want to think about what would happen if Hayakawa were there. The easily excited second year would have been literally rolling on the floor laughing.

"Next time you go and disappear for a week, don't come waltzing back in like nothing happened." Kasamatsu yelled steel-blue eyes ice-cold. Kise just whimpered in reply as the heel of Kasamatsu's shoe dug into his back painfully. Even if this sort of interaction was normality, something he craved it didn't make it any less painful.  
"So mean Kasamatsu-sempai." The blond whined crocodile tears flowing freely down his cheeks as he twisted out from under the point-guard's foot. He sat up in the grass brushing leaves off his previously pristine white shirt. Kasamatsu just continued to glare steely eyes boring into the blond.

"I was sick, honestly Captain. Naoicchi can vouch for the fact I wasn't even at school." His voice surprisingly didn't waver. Kise sincerely hoped his ability to lie so effortlessly didn't become habit. He prided himself on being honest, brutally so at times. Ask any member of the Generation of Miracles and they would tell you Kise was one of the most honest members. Only loosing to Kuroko, who was so blunt it was part of the invisible man's sense of supposedly non-existent humour.  
"It's the truth Kasamatsu-sempai. He wasn't exactly with it in class today either." Naoi backed up the blond's argument without missing a beat. To his credit the raven even managed to sound completely serious, not that he was incredibly believable either way. Naoi was renowned for being a trickster despite his usually mature manner of conducting himself. It had only taken a week for the rest of the first-string to figure out just how devilish the more benign looking of the first-year duo was. The only one it hadn't shocked was Kasamatsu who had noticed the mischievous glint in the dark haired teens red-brown eyes on the very first day.

"For once, I'm actually inclined to believe the pair of you." Kasamatsu sighed pinching the bridge of his nose in an attempt to dissipate the oncoming headache before it came. Dealing with either Kise or Naoi individually was enough, put together and on the same page was another league all together.  
"They are honest most of the time, and Kise does still look pale." Kobori (ever the voice of reason in the hectic insanity of Kaijou first-string) spoke up calmly. All eyes flicked to the tall, near silent centre in mild surprise. It was astonishingly easy to forget he was there until he spoke up.

"Be glad you've got Kobori rooting for you on this one. Just remember, any more of this and I can still kick your ass." Kasamatsu growled whacking Kise on the shoulder good-naturedly before heading towards the gym. "If you're going to come watch, you better hurry up ace." Kise grinned leaping to his feet grabbing his bag from where it had fallen on the grass before sprinting after Kasamatsu eyes alight with elation. Golden blond hair reflected the mid-summer light creating an angelic halo around his head. Jubilant tinkles of laughter floating through the air as the blond ran, true happiness, something so rarely seen from Kise.

Naoi, Moriyama and Kobori followed close behind grinning from ear to ear as well. They had Kise back, the real Kise. Not the one they'd known for the weeks before the practice match with Seirin. Not the arrogant blond prick of a model that honestly believed his better-than-you attitude was justified. Not the famous basketball prodigy who kept every single demon he had hidden behind a carefully crafted mask of sunshine and rainbows. This Kise was an entirely different person. This Kise knew he wasn't perfect, knew he couldn't beat every single foe he came up again. This Kise didn't act like he was the prince of the world who deserved to be served. This Kise admitted his faults, let some of his insecurities slip through every so often. This Kise wasn't Kise Ryouta small forward of the Generation of Miracles. This Kise is the master of perfect copy and ace of the Kaijou high-school basketball team.

* * *

"Loosen you're shoulders Moriyama-sempai. You're a bit tight." Kise weaved through the various players observing their forms and correcting anything he could spot. Most of them, thank whatever god still looked over him, were taking the advice well. Others, second and third years that hadn't even seen the bench so far that year, were not. He guessed it was lent up frustration from being kicked off the regulars before having a chance. A bitter chuckle nearly slips past Kise's lips as he thinks about it. Not like any of them will be landing themselves a regular position any time soon. Even once he concedes defeat to the disease the small forward would be far from open. Naoi would be the first choice at his replacement and had the right set of skills to fill the gaping hole left in a team by losing the ace.

He shook the slightly morbid thoughts out of his head before the grips of gloom could take hold. The last thing he needed was for one of his more perceptive teammates (Naoi, Kasamatsu or Nakamura) to pick up on the melancholy rainclouds floating about his head. Then the already forming suspicions surrounding his prolonged absence and lack of involvement in practice would really blow up. It was best to stay in character, as close to normal as possible without doing something stupid anyway. Playing pretend is easier when the other characters are just as fooled as the lead after all.

Occasionally Kasamatsu shoots a worried (in violent-sempai terms) glance over his shoulder at the blond, which said model ignores effortlessly. Even if the idea that the usually irate third year actually does care about him is somewhat pleasing. At least somebody cares, somebody who actually sees him for who he is, not the glorified idol he is in the public eye.

A miniscule shiver runs down Kise's spine as the thought of his developing disability being revealed to the public. He sincerely hoped when the time came it would be on his terms. Not through some kind of scandal like one of his fans catching him in the wrong place at the wrong time. He really didn't feel up to dealing with the media anytime soon. First he had to accept this strange new reality himself. Explaining everything to the world certainly didn't come till much later in the game, at least he hoped. He couldn't explain something he barely understood himself.

"Quit thinking so much." The bland comment startles Kise out of his brief inner monologue as Naoi appears from seemingly nowhere dribbling a ball absentmindedly. "Something's definitely wrong, if there is one thing Kise Ryouta never does it's think."  
"I'm hurt by your doubt in me Naoicchi." Kise replies without missing a beat look of feigned melodrama planted on his handsome features. Naoi laughs, a warm light chuckle before he darts off towards the goal leaping into an easily made lay up. The raven's form had improved in leaps and bounds since starting at Kaijou. He was no prodigy, that was clear, but years of training and observation often made up for lacking talent. Though, Naoi notably wasn't exactly lacking natural talent either, he just happened to be on the small side with his main natural talents being speed and agility. Apparently, by the stories the raven himself had told ball handling had taken plenty of time for Naoi to learn thanks to natural clumsiness.

"Yes well, just whatever it is stop worrying. You're thinking face is less than appealing. Besides it's not your job to worry." Kasamatsu breaks into the conversation with ease passing Naoi another ball to continue practicing his lay-ups with. Captain and ace stand face-to-face, too close for Kise's comfort.  
"It's nothing…. really." Kise replies trailing off slightly in the middle as if the words had gotten lost somewhere in translation between his brain and tongue. Kasamatsu gives him the look that blatantly reads 'I know what you're thinking and you can't hide forever but there isn't time to pressure you right now' but severally paraphrased.  
"I leave it be for now, but any more funny business and I need an answer. Got it Kise." The point guard growls before turning away and going back to practice, running through a dribbling drill at high speed before shooting a three-pointer seemingly effortlessly. Kise just nods too numb to reply with words. Kasamatsu really did have an odd way of showing affection but it was affection none-the-less, no matter how awkwardly given.

It was almost depressing, just how socially awkward the entire Kaijou first strong excluding himself was. Moriyama was fine around guys but just tried a little too hard when it came to getting a girl, actually that would be a gross understatement. Anything wearing a skirt was a worthy target of the vice-captains prying eyes. Kobori was that generic quiet guy with one of those blandly sarcastic senses of humour. Hayakawa... Kise honestly had no comment for him. Loud, completely inept at reading the situation and overly rambunctious did not bode well in social situations, let along within the team itself. Naoi, almost thankfully hadn't done anything wrong, then again he hadn't exactly done anything right either. The already reasonably quiet teen just became practically mute when it came to socialising. It had taken Kise nearly a month to get all of three words out of the raven in a row and another 2 weeks to get to sentences.

Then there was Kasamatsu Yukio, ultimate awkward duckling of social situations within the team, despite being Captain. It was almost painful to watch him interacting with anyone outside the closely-knit bunch of basketball idiots known as the Kaijou first-string. Actually, scratch that it was absolutely torturous, particularly when those of the opposite gender were involved. Watching Kasamatsu turn into an even more awkward than usual, blushing, blubbering mess was strangely satisfying in a very sadistic way. Kise usually wasn't that sadistic but occasionally he had his moments. Watching people completely have their character changed 180 degrees as soon as the opposite gender was one of those things he simply took pleasure out of. ]

Watching… something he'll lose the ability to do eventually. Read, watch the sunset, spend hours watching useless YouTube videos when he had notching else to do, play basketball… see. The list of things he loves that he'll lose as slowly as his condition progresses just gets longer and longer the more Kise thinks about it and before he knows he's in too deep. Completely cut off from the world caught in his own little bubble of self-pity. Disconnected as if he's an astronaut bouncing around on the moon and everyone else is down on earth, such that he can't even contact them.

Kise never sees the stray basketball flying towards his head before it's far too late.

* * *

**A/N: Thankyou so very much for reading. Please follow, favourite and review if you enjoyed. I will try to update ASAP, as you know cliffhangers. (You all secretly love them. Right?). I thank those of you who favourite, followed and reviewed last chapter as it really encouraged me to get this one out sooner through the craziness that is my life at the moment. So if you want to keep the updates rolling, keep the encouragement and constructive criticism coming in. It is greatly welcomed. **

**Till next time  
-Angel**


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